The Seattle Times MATTHEW PERRONE – The Seattle Timeshttps://www.seattletimes.com
Local news, sports, business, politics, entertainment, travel, restaurants and opinion for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:28:12 -0700en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.10US finds contaminant in popular heartburn drughttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-finds-contaminant-in-popular-heartburn-drug/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-finds-contaminant-in-popular-heartburn-drug/#respondFri, 13 Sep 2019 08:46:57 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/us-finds-contaminant-in-popular-heartburn-drug/WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials said Friday they are investigating low levels of a potentially dangerous contaminant in the popular heartburn medication Zantac and related generic drugs. For now, the Food and Drug Administration said patients can continue taking their medications. The agency said it has detected a “probable” cancer-causing chemical in the medications, […]]]>Government plans to ban flavors used in e-cigaretteshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/trump-to-propose-ban-on-flavorings-used-in-e-cigarettes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/trump-to-propose-ban-on-flavorings-used-in-e-cigarettes/#respondWed, 11 Sep 2019 10:14:57 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/trump-to-propose-ban-on-flavorings-used-in-e-cigarettes/WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government will act to ban thousands of flavors used in e-cigarettes, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, responding to a recent surge in underage vaping that has alarmed parents, politicians and health authorities nationwide. The surprise White House announcement could remake the multibillion-dollar vaping industry, which has been driven by sales […]]]>Juul warned over claims e-cigarette safer than smokinghttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/juul-warned-over-claims-e-cigarette-safer-than-smoking/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/juul-warned-over-claims-e-cigarette-safer-than-smoking/#respondMon, 09 Sep 2019 08:18:57 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/juul-warned-over-claims-e-cigarette-safer-than-smoking/WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health authorities on Monday blasted vaping company Juul for illegally pitching its electronic cigarettes as a safer alternative to smoking and ordered the company to stop making unproven claims for its products. The Food and Drug Administration also upped its scrutiny of a number of key aspects of Juul’s business, telling […]]]>More vaping illnesses reported, many involving marijuanahttps://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/more-vaping-illnesses-reported-many-involving-marijuana/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/more-vaping-illnesses-reported-many-involving-marijuana/#respondFri, 30 Aug 2019 09:58:32 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/more-vaping-illnesses-reported-many-involving-marijuana/WASHINGTON (AP) — Health officials are recommending people who vape consider avoiding e-cigarettes while they investigate more cases of a breathing ailment linked to the devices. While the cause remains unclear, officials said Friday that many reports involve e-cigarette products that contain THC, the mind-altering substance in marijuana. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control […]]]>Juul Labs facing scrutiny from federal and state officialshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-under-way-in-illinois-dc/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-under-way-in-illinois-dc/#respondFri, 30 Aug 2019 06:14:14 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-under-way-in-illinois-dc/WASHINGTON (AP) — With e-cigarette giant Juul Labs facing a mounting number of state and federal investigations into its marketing and sales practices, a top Trump administration official pledged Friday to use all of the government’s regulatory and enforcement power “to stop the epidemic of youth e-cigarette use.” The Associated Press has learned that the […]]]>Probes of e-cigarette giant Juul under way in Illinois, DChttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-underway-in-illinois-dc/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-underway-in-illinois-dc/#respondThu, 29 Aug 2019 21:59:42 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/probes-of-e-cigarette-giant-juul-underway-in-illinois-dc/WASHINGTON — E-cigarette giant Juul Labs is facing mounting scrutiny from state law enforcement officials, with the attorneys general in Illinois and the District of Columbia investigating how the company’s blockbuster vaping device became so popular with underage teens, The Associated Press has learned. The company’s rapid rise to the top of the multi-billion dollar […]]]>Anti-smoking advocates bemoan “faltering” pace of FDA actionhttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/anti-smoking-advocates-bemoan-faltering-pace-of-fda-action/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/anti-smoking-advocates-bemoan-faltering-pace-of-fda-action/#respondThu, 29 Aug 2019 08:26:41 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/anti-smoking-advocates-bemoan-faltering-pace-of-fda-action/WASHINGTON (AP) — It seemed like a new era in the half-century battle against the deadly toll of tobacco: U.S. health officials for the first time would begin regulating cigarettes, chew and other products responsible for a half-million American deaths annually. “The decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of smoking has […]]]>US agency sees low risk in contaminated blood pressure drugshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-agency-sees-low-risk-in-contaminated-blood-pressure-drugs/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/us-agency-sees-low-risk-in-contaminated-blood-pressure-drugs/#respondWed, 28 Aug 2019 10:48:28 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/us-agency-sees-low-risk-in-contaminated-blood-pressure-drugs/WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials on Wednesday tried to reassure patients that they face very low risks from ongoing contamination problems with widely prescribed blood pressure drugs. Drugmakers have issued more than 50 recalls since last July linked to low levels of a probable cancer-causing chemical found in generic drugs taken by millions of […]]]>A decade after a split, the Marlboro men seek a reunionhttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/after-decade-apart-philip-morris-and-altria-may-become-1/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/after-decade-apart-philip-morris-and-altria-may-become-1/#respondTue, 27 Aug 2019 07:20:37 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/after-decade-apart-philip-morris-and-altria-may-become-1/NEW YORK (AP) — The Marlboro men are discussing a reunion as the number of smokers continues to decline worldwide. Altria confirmed Tuesday that it is in talks to merge with Philip Morris International, more than a decade after splitting itself into two companies. Altria has exclusively sold Marlboro cigarettes and other tobacco brands in […]]]>U.S. makes new push for graphic warning labels on cigaretteshttps://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/us-makes-new-push-for-graphic-warning-labels-on-cigarettes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/us-makes-new-push-for-graphic-warning-labels-on-cigarettes/#respondThu, 15 Aug 2019 07:12:01 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/us-makes-new-push-for-graphic-warning-labels-on-cigarettes/WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials are making a new attempt at adding graphic images to cigarette packets to discourage Americans from lighting up. If successful, it would be the first change to U.S. cigarette warnings in 35 years. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday proposed 13 new warnings that would appear on all cigarettes, […]]]>Vaping companies sue to delay US review of e-cigaretteshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/vaping-companies-sue-to-delay-us-e-cigarette-review/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/vaping-companies-sue-to-delay-us-e-cigarette-review/#respondWed, 14 Aug 2019 12:04:51 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/vaping-companies-sue-to-delay-us-e-cigarette-review/WASHINGTON (AP) — A vaping industry group sued the U.S. government on Wednesday to delay an upcoming review of thousands of e-cigarettes on the market. The legal challenge by the Vapor Technology Association is the latest hurdle in the Food and Drug Administration’s yearslong effort to regulate the multibillion-dollar vaping industry, which includes makers and […]]]>E-cigarette giant Juul’s campaign donations favor Democratshttps://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats-2/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats-2/#respondFri, 02 Aug 2019 08:08:20 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats-2/WASHINGTON (AP) — E-cigarette giant Juul Labs gave nearly $100,000 to members of Congress during the first half of 2019 as the company faced the bulk of the blame for a surge of underage vaping and calls for tighter government regulation of the industry. The donations from Juul’s political action committee represent a sharp increase […]]]>E-cigarette giant Juul’s campaign donations favor Democratshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats/#respondThu, 01 Aug 2019 13:27:22 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/e-cigarette-giant-juuls-campaign-donations-favor-democrats/WASHINGTON (AP) — E-cigarette giant Juul Labs gave nearly $100,000 to members of Congress during the first half of 2019 as the company faced the bulk of the blame for a surge of underage vaping and calls for tighter government regulation of the industry. The donations from Juul’s political action committee represent a sharp increase […]]]>Juul exec: Never intended electronic cigarette for teenshttps://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/juul-exec-facing-congressional-questions-over-teen-vaping/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/juul-exec-facing-congressional-questions-over-teen-vaping/#respondThu, 25 Jul 2019 11:35:33 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/juul-exec-facing-congressional-questions-over-teen-vaping/WASHINGTON (AP) — A top executive for Juul Labs said that his company never intended its electronic cigarettes to be adopted by underage teenagers, as House lawmakers on Thursday accused the company of fueling the vaping craze among high schoolers. Co-founder James Monsees testified that Juul developed its blockbuster vaping device and flavor pods for […]]]>Breast implant recalled after link to more rare cancer caseshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/allergan-recalls-textured-breast-implant-tied-to-rare-cancer/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/allergan-recalls-textured-breast-implant-tied-to-rare-cancer/#respondWed, 24 Jul 2019 07:26:48 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/allergan-recalls-textured-breast-implant-tied-to-rare-cancer/WASHINGTON (AP) — Breast implant maker Allergan Inc. issued a worldwide recall Wednesday for certain textured models after regulators alerted the company to a heightened cancer risk with the devices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it called for the removal after new information showed Allergan’s Biocell breast implants with a textured surface were […]]]>Revamped OxyContin was supposed to reduce abuse, but has it?https://www.seattletimes.com/business/revamped-oxycontin-was-supposed-to-reduce-abuse-but-has-it/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/revamped-oxycontin-was-supposed-to-reduce-abuse-but-has-it/#respondMon, 22 Jul 2019 07:37:06 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/revamped-oxycontin-was-supposed-to-reduce-abuse-but-has-it/WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Raeford Brown was uniquely positioned to help the U.S. government answer a critical question: Is a new version of the painkiller OxyContin helping fight the national opioid epidemic? An expert in pain treatment at the University of Kentucky, Brown led a panel of outside experts advising the Food and Drug Administration […]]]>Data show many companies contributed to US opioid crisishttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/data-shows-flood-of-opioids-across-us-many-of-them-generics/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/data-shows-flood-of-opioids-across-us-many-of-them-generics/#respondWed, 17 Jul 2019 12:14:02 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/data-shows-flood-of-opioids-across-us-many-of-them-generics/WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker of OxyContin has been cast as the chief villain in the nation’s opioid crisis. But newly released government figures suggest Purdue Pharma had plenty of help in flooding the U.S. with billions of pills even as overdose deaths were accelerating. Records kept by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration show that […]]]>New drug to boost women’s sex drive approved in UShttps://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/new-drug-to-boost-womens-sex-drive-approved-in-us/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/new-drug-to-boost-womens-sex-drive-approved-in-us/#respondFri, 21 Jun 2019 14:02:06 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/new-drug-to-boost-womens-sex-drive-approved-in-us/WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. women will soon have another drug option designed to boost low sex drive: a shot they can give themselves in the thigh or abdomen that raises sexual interest for several hours. The medication OK’d Friday by the Food and Drug Administration is only the second approved to increase sexual desire in […]]]>FDA: ‘Influencers’ promoted vaping without suitable warningshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/fda-targets-vaping-influencers-for-online-promotions/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/fda-targets-vaping-influencers-for-online-promotions/#respondFri, 07 Jun 2019 07:56:53 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/fda-targets-vaping-influencers-for-online-promotions/WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators moved to discipline vaping companies for inappropriately promoting their flavored nicotine formulas through so-called influencers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. The Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters Friday to four companies that used paid social media influencers to pitch nicotine solutions to their online followers, including […]]]>Judge orders FDA to speed up review of e-cigaretteshttps://www.seattletimes.com/business/judge-orders-fda-to-begin-regulating-e-cigarettes/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matthew-perrone
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/judge-orders-fda-to-begin-regulating-e-cigarettes/#respondWed, 15 May 2019 15:01:13 -0700https://www.seattletimes.com/news/judge-orders-fda-to-begin-regulating-e-cigarettes/WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge is siding with public health groups suing the Food and Drug Administration to begin reviewing thousands of e-cigarettes on the U.S. market. The ruling handed down Wednesday in district court states that the agency shirked its legal duty when it postponed reviewing all U.S. vaping products by several years. […]]]>